Illinois Helping Everyone Access Linked Systems (HEALS) is an Office for Victims or Crime-funded initiative seeking to improve systems’ response for children, youth, and families impacted by violence. Egyptian Health Department, located in Southern Illinois, was selected as the demonstration site for HEALS program implementation and evaluation. Researchers conducted a multi-method study to better understand program implementation. In the first 19 months of implementation (September 2019-March 2021), the site served 748 clients, trained more than 75 community members, and entered into nine memoranda of understanding with partner organizations. Additionally, findings revealed strong collaborative efforts and successful service connections; 60% of surveyed Advisory Council members reported that their community worked to solve problems through collaboration and resource coordinator knowledge of the region and relationships with community agencies facilitated clients’ connection to appropriate resources and services. The report concludes with recommendations and future research directions.
The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) received a discretionary grant from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) in 2017 for a statewide initiative seeking to improve systems’ responses for children, youth, and families impacted by violence. Staff from ICJIA’s Federal and State Grants Unit and Research & Analysis Unit partnered during this project’s 15-month planning phase (October 2017 to December 2018) to develop the Illinois Helping Everyone Access Linked Systems (HEALS) Action Plan. Six project goals were identified. In 2018, ICJIA was awarded an additional OVC grant to fund the program’s implementation. ICJIA selected a demonstration site, Egyptian Health Department, located in Southern Illinois, for program implementation and evaluation. The following report provides an overview of the initiative’s goals, research activities, and progress towards achieving those goals during the demonstration site’s first 19 months of implementation (September 2019-March 2021).
About the authors
Erinne Smith, MA is a Research Scientist with the Center for Victim Studies.
Amanda L. Vasquez, MA is the Acting Research Manager of the Center for Victim Studies.
Funding acknowledgment
This report was produced by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority under cooperative agreement #2020-V3-GX-K007, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed herein are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Suggested citation
Smith, E. & Vasquez, A. L. (2023). Illinois Helping Everyone Access Linked Systems: Interim report. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
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